Catheter with spinning ultrasound transceiver board

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting vulnerable plaque in a blood vessel includes an intravascular probe, and a slip ring at a proximal end of the probe. The slip ring has a stationary portion and a spinning portion. An ultrasound transceiver board is mechanically coupled to the slip ring's spinning portion for communication with an ultrasound transducer, also within the probe. A transmission line extends between the ultrasound transducer and the ultrasound transceiver board.

1 . An apparatus for detecting vulnerable plaque in a blood vessel, the apparatus comprising:
 an intravascular probe having a proximal end and a distal end;   a slip ring at the proximal end of the probe, the slip ring having a stationary portion and a spinning portion;   an ultrasound transducer mounted within the intravascular probe;   an ultrasound transceiver board mechanically coupled to the spinning portion of the slip ring; and   a transmission line extended between the ultrasound transducer and the ultrasound transceiver board.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pair of optical fibers extending distally from the proximal end of the probe; and   an optical bench for receiving the optical fibers.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the transceiver board comprises an RF circuit for providing RF energy to the ultrasound transducer, and for receiving RF energy and extracting information therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a power supply coupled to the stationary portion of the slip ring for providing power to the RF circuit on the ultrasound transceiver board. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor coupled to the stationary portion of the slip ring for receiving data from the ultrasound transceiver board. 
     
     
         6 . A method for detecting vulnerable plaque, the method comprising:
 inserting a catheter containing an ultrasound transducer into a blood vessel;   spinning the ultrasound transducer within the catheter; and   concurrent with spinning the ultrasound transducer, spinning a source of RF energy for the ultrasonic transducer.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising coupling power from a power source to the source of RF energy, wherein the power source rotates relative to the source of RF power for the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein coupling power from a power source to the source of RF power comprises coupling power across a slip ring. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal from the ultrasound transducer;   extracting information from the received signal;   encoding the extracted information onto a digital signal; and   coupling the digital signal to a processor that rotates relative to the ultrasound transducer.